K-pop powerhouse EXO is set to make a seasonal return as the year draws to a close with the announcement of a new winter single, I’m Home, fuelling excitement for the group’s forthcoming 2026 comeback.
K-pop group EXO set for comeback
The teaser for the track dropped via the group’s official social-media channels this week, offering fans a first glimpse of evocative visuals and the warm, emotive tone of the pop ballad ahead of its full release on 14 December.
I’m Home is understood to reflect the thematic lineage of past winter releases such as The First Snow, which has once again re-emerged on streaming charts this season thanks to renewed social-media interest and nostalgia.
Early previews of I’m Home highlight delicate piano and string arrangements underpinning gentle vocals, capturing a reflective warmth that positions the song as both a seasonal anthem and a bridge to EXO’s eagerly anticipated eighth studio album, REVERXE, due in the first quarter of 2026.
The full music video is slated for release at midnight on 14 December, coinciding with the group’s fan-meeting event EXO’verse at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, where the song is expected to be performed live for the first time.
The comeback, however, is stirring mixed emotions within the fan community.
While the return of members Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun, and Lay has been confirmed for the EXO’verse event and the forthcoming album cycle, Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin — collectively known as EXO-CBX — are notably absent from current group activities amid ongoing legal and contractual disputes with their former agency.
Fan reactions to the comeback
Fans have responded passionately online, with some expressing joy at the winter release and the return of Lay — marking his first group activity in years — while others have criticised the continuing divide within the nine-member cohort, especially the exclusion of CBX from the official comeback lineup.
While one person wrote, “You're home? Where are others then? (sic),” another person wrote, “No matter what happens, EX09 will always be my forever. Through every high and every low, every change and every challenge, my love for them stays the same. They're not iust a group to me - they're a part of my life, my memories, my heart (sic).”
A third user commented, “EXO IS 9! WE WANT CBX TOO! (sic).”A fourth person wrote, “But my home is 9 members 😭 (sic).”
Despite the mixed responses, anticipation for I’m Home and REVERXE remains high. The teaser’s combination of serene imagery and seasonal sentiment has been characterised by supporters as a “return of EXO’s winter magic”, underscoring the longstanding tradition of emotional winter releases from the group that soundtrack fans’ holidays and memories alike.
As I’m Home leads into what many hope will be a wider chapter of EXO activities, the group’s ability to balance nostalgia with fresh musical direction will be key to sustaining its legacy in the competitive K-pop landscape.
